Has Anyone Seen A Cast Iron Bell Like This?

[Fla Gal]

I bought a really cooll cast iron bell. I've never seen one like it. The guy I bought it from said he had it for about 15 years. I helped him take it off the post in his front yard.

He said he bought it in Webster, Florida. It's about 12 inches high and about 8 and 1/2 inches at the widest point of the horns. The bell itself is stationary, only the clapper moves.

Has anybody seen one of these and know how old it might be? And sorry guys, it's not for sale. :no:
http://home.ripway.com/2004-1/54682/Bell500.jpg

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

Had one exactly like it in Seattle back about 1980. Still think they are available today from wholesale companies like A.A. Imports. Cost about $6-10.00 new in 1980.

[Fla Gal]

I didn't think it was a rare antique of a lot of value. This one has no makers mark, number or anything stamped on it. Chances are likely it came from such a place too. Probably made in China or some other high production area. I tried to find AA Imports on google with no luck to see what they're going for now.

I like this bell and after some cleaning up and a good coat of paint I'll end up mounting it on a board and hangining it on the kitchen wall so I can enjoy it every day. Thanks for the response.

[BeeFree]

I have not seen a bell exactly like this one, but several similiar. I think the 80's is probably right about the age.

It is a neat bell. I like bells. I have one of the big yard bells in my front yard.

Would like to have one of those huge church bells.

[Fla Gal]

BeeFree,

My Granny had a big dinner bell in her back yard that my Uncle ended up with when Granny passed. I don't have too many bells but the ones I have I appreciate a lot. At the moment this one is my favorite.

What in the world would you do with a huge church bell?

Admire it a lot and ring it now and then I suppose. That bell would call 'em in off a thousand acres or more. :haha:

[Raindancer]

Wow..did your post bring back memories. Tho I can't recall the one my folks had, if cast iron or similar design, they had one when I was growing up (dating myself, I was 9, 1960, when they got it) attached to the porch. We lived in at the end of two small little "Y" shaped dead end streets. With five children, we BEST be home when we heard that bell ring! Most times it was when dinner was ready, but if it rang at odd times, it gave us pause, to gather us for an unusual reason. I remember our friend's parents commenting they heard the bell, and we better get going (home)! Eveyone in hearing distance knew that bell! It also became a target shoot for us when my oldest bro. got his first bee-bee gun..what fun if we hit target and made it sing!
Few yr's. back we stopped at our old house with daughter and son (drive by, when home visiting out of town). Owner was outside, spoke with him how we grew up there, and he inivited us for a tour of the place (had been 25+ yr's at that time!), and came home with the old metal milk box he had tossed in the woods (where we used to play) where my neighborhood (first) boyfriend and I used to slip each other "love" notes into How cool is that!! A treasure!

Sorry I can't help with identifying your bell, but thanks for the great memories!!

Dee

[Fla Gal]

That is so cool. Memories like that are priceless. In July I went to my Granny's house which my Aunt now owns and had a ball remembering where Granny's garden, jar shed, Grandpap's hog shed, and the coal shed were. I managed to find some lumps of coal that had been there from the first time the coal overflowed back in the early '50's. Also I was able to get several rocks from the area the hog shed was in. Got a locust stump too to use as a sittin' place. It's in front of my house on the concrete pad and will be until it rots. I should put a coat of clearcoat or something on is so it will at least last as long as I'm around, any suggestions? So many good memories do nothing but make you feel good. No problem about no help identifying the bell. I enjoyed reading your post.

I think I just hijacked my own thread. Just so ya'll know, I don't mind thread drift so hijack away. This could get interesting. Anyone else got a story to tell? (hint hint)